Wainwright, John

Composer

b Stockport, Gtr Manchester (Ches) 1723, d Stockport 1768. A joiner’s son who moved into Manchester aged 23. He was a ‘singing man’ at the city’s Collegiate Church (see notes to 352 in EP1) and later its deputy organist, though he was probably also the Parish Church’s organist at Stockport in 1750. As there are several musical Wainwrights in that period, it is not always clear who did what. But in c1766 he published a Collection of Psalm Tunes, Anthems, Hymns and Chants for 1, 2, 3 and 4 voices. For the year or two before he died he was the main organist at the Manchester church (which later was to become its cathedral). No.352.